Stockton Daily Local Headlines: Three Found Dead in Car, Kidnapping Arrest, Gang Sentencing, City Attorney Pick

Top story: Three men found dead in a vehicle

Police say three men were found dead inside a car Sunday morning near Union Street and Scotts Avenue. Officers and medics responded after 10 a.m., and police said there were no signs of trauma and the deaths did not appear criminal. The men were later identified as Carmelino Jimenez Aguilar, 39; Pedro Gonzalez Perez, 24; and Pablo Diaz Lopez, 28, all from Stockton. The county medical examiner’s office is handling the cause-of-death determination.

Public safety

Kidnapping report leads to arrest

A 43-year-old man was arrested after police said a juvenile was kidnapped at gunpoint in Stockton’s Park District. Investigators said the suspect pulled up around 3 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of North Pilgrim Street, showed a firearm, and demanded the girl get into his car. Police said the victim later persuaded the suspect to let her go and got away safely. The suspect, Juan Gonzalez, was booked on suspicion of kidnapping.

Gang-related ambush case ends with lengthy prison terms

Two men convicted in a gang-related home invasion and shooting were sentenced this week in San Joaquin County Superior Court. Prosecutors said Dominique Naylor was sentenced to 100 years to life and Jeffery Stewart to 80 years to life after a jury convicted them of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and burglary tied to a Sept. 23, 2023 attack at a home on East Flora Street. Authorities described the case as a retaliatory ambush that left Daniel Juarez dead and another victim seriously wounded.

City Hall

Council signals intent to hire a new city attorney

Stockton City Council voted unanimously to signal its intent to hire Marci Arredondo as the city’s next attorney, pending a background check. Terms discussed publicly included a three-year contract at $315,000 a year, plus a monthly vehicle stipend, along with vacation and sick leave. The hire comes after the previous city attorney resigned in January, leaving the city with an acting legal chief in the interim.

Sources

https://www.kcra.com/article/3-people-found-dead-in-a-vehicle-in-stockton-police-dont-consider-deaths-suspicious/70566589
https://stocktonia.org/news/public-safety/2026/03/02/stockton-police-arrest-man-accused-of-kidnapping-girl/
https://www.sjcda.org/breaking-news/2026/03/03/naylor-and-stewart-sentenced-to-100-years-to-life-and-80-years-to-life-for-gang-related-murder
https://stocktonia.org/news/local-government/2026/03/03/city-council-announces-intent-to-hire-marci-arredondo-as-city-attorney/